Automatic firearm.



M. G. FARQUHAB. L A. H. HILL.

AUTOMATIC FIRERM.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 2,1903.

'pus Namus PETERS cn., WASHINGTON, o. f-

murale srafrns PATENT onirica.

MOUBRAY GORE FARQUHAR, OF ABOYNE, SCOTLAND, AND ARTHUR HENRY HILL, OF

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MOUBRAY GORE FARQUHAR and ARTHUR HENRY HILL, subjects of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and Birmingham, IVarwickshire, England, respectively, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Firearms, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to automatic lirearms of the kind referred to in patent speciiication No. 867,960 and has for its object to provide simplified and less expensive means whereby the energy of the recoil of the barrel shall be conserved and the breech shall not be1 opened untilall pressure has left the barre In this invention, as in that described in the specification of the above mentioned patent, there are two principal movements (l) the recoil of the barrel, with the bolt still in position locked, and the return to the firing position and (2) the release of the spring, (which has been brought into tension by the recoil of the barrel), operating the bolt.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is an elevation of part of a rifle constructed in accordance with the invention, the woodwork of the riiie being removed for the sake of clearness. Fig. 2 is a part elevation and part vertical section of the rifle as viewed from the op osite side. Fig. 3 is a cross section on t e line X-X, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a modified construction.

As shown particularly in Figs. l, 2 and 3, there is attached to the barrel A a toothed rack B, which rack gears with and rotates a toothed wheel O when the barrel A recoils. To the outside of said wheel O is attached a larger toothed wheel D which is adapted to gear with a movable toothed rack E, which rack E is mounted on a movable carrier F, said rack and carrier being supported on a i ledge f formed on a stationary tubular caslng I adapted to be carried by the rifle body. The rack E is free to move forward upon the carrier F; but, if the rack E be moved toward the breech, the carrier F is brought back also, by means of the end e of the rack E engaging an upturned flange f 1 on the carrier F. The carrier F is attached at its front or muzzle end, as at f1, to a block G which block G is in contact with a helical spring H located within the stationary casing I, so

that when the carrier F is moved rearward the spring H is compressed in that direction; the end portion of the carrier which is attached at j 1 to the block G being arranged to work in a slot 'i in the casing I.

Two studs or catches J, J1, are provided, one stud J being pivoted at J X and adapted to hold a washer j in engagement with the rear end of the spring H as the movable rack E and carrier F are being brought back, while the other stud J1, which is pivoted at J 11 between jaws J1'- on the casing I and which has a cushion spring J13 at its end, is adapted to hold the block G of the carrier at the point g (and therefore the front end of the spring H) when said spring H has been brought back to its fullest extent by the action of the wheel D,- said stud or catch J1 being retained in normal position by a light spring J14. VI hen the barrel A recoils against the action of the return spring A1, the rack E and its carrier F are brought back, the coil spring H is compressed and both of said studs or catches J, J1 are projected and hold the spring H in compression the stud J being actuated by a projection A2 on the barrel A in advance of the stud J1, which stud J1 is actuated by a projection A3 on the barrel A; said projection A3 contacting with the cushion spring J13 and causing the stud J1 to rock on its pivot against the action of the spring J11, whereby the nose J15 of the stud J1 engages with the block G at the point g and is retained in engagement by the reactionary pressure of the spring H on the inner end of the block G. The barrel A then returns forward to the firing position against the stop a, the toothed wheel D is rotated in a contrary direction, and the movable rack E is carried forward, also leaving behind its carrier F and the spring H in compression these being held by the said studs J, J1.

As soon as the barrel A has returned forward to the firing position, the stud J which holds the rear end of the spring H is withdrawn by means of a projection a2 whereupon .the rear end of the spring H moves quickly back, opens the bolt K by means of a connecting rod L (shown particularly at Fig. 4) and compresses a light spring M which surrounds a rod Z and abuts between the inner end of the casing I and the outer end of a sleeve N, while said rod L is connected to a pin n attached to the inner end of the sleeve N and passes through a slot 'i1 (see Figs. 3

and 4) in the casing l. The stud J1 is now Withdrawn and the light spring M closes and locks the bolt K, also returning the coil spring H and carrier li" to their normal position as shown, said stud J1 being Withdrawn by means of the spring J when the reactionary pressure of the spring H on the inner end of the block G has been relieved by the Withdrawal of the catch J.

The construction shown in Fig. 4L is similar to that illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3, except that the movable rack Vand carrier and corresponding gear Wheels for compressing the spring H are dispensed With, and the conipression of said spring H is eii'ected by the direct action of the recoil of the barrel A by extending the projection A3 on the barrel into the casing l and in front of the spring H.

Having now described-our invention what We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is v1. In an automatic tire-arm, the combination With the barrel, and the bolt, of a spring adapted to be compressed by the recoil of the barrel, a second spring also adapted to be com ressed by the recoil of the barrel, a catcli device adapted to engage one end of the second spring when compressed, a second catch device adapted'to engage the other end of said second spring, means for disengaging the second catch on thc return movement of the barrel whereby the second spring is free to open the bolt, means for disengaging the first catch when the second spring is relieved,

and a third spring compressed by the cxtension of the second spring, said third spring acting to close the bolt and to return the second spring to normal position.

2. :En an automatic tire-arm, the combination with the barrel, and the bolt7 of a helical spring adapted to be compressed by the recoil of the barrel, a 'lixed tubular casing a second helical spring Within said casing said spring also adapted to be compressed by the recoil of the barrel7 a catch device carried by said casing and adapted to engage one end of the second spring when compressed, a second catch device also carried by said casing and adapted to engage the other end of said spring, means for disengaging the second catch on the return movement of the barrel whereby the second spring is tree to open the bolt, means for disengaging the iirst catch When the second spring is relieved, a tubular sleeve Within the casing, and a third spring within the sleeve and compressed by the eX- tension of the second spring, said third spring acting to close the bolt and to return the second spring to normal position. y

In testimony whereof We have signed our naines to this speciiication in the presence ol two subscribing Witnesses.

lvlOUBRAY GORE FARQUHAR.

ARTHUR HENRY HLL.

`vYvTitnesses ALLAGE. CANsToN FAiRWnA'ri-mn,

JOHN MCCLEARY, Jr. 

